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Councilman Garcetti And Family Get Stay-Away Order From Stranger Who Repeatedly Shows Up At Their House

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — City Councilman Eric Garcetti and his wife have been granted a temporary stay-away order against a man who allegedly went to their home three times and twice entered without permission.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carol Boas Goodson directed 38-year-old James Pagano to not come within 100 yards of Garcetti, his wife, Amy Wakeland, and other members of their household.

According to a sworn statement by Wakeland, Pagano showed up at the Garcetti house on March 6, 2011, knocked on the door and asked "Is Billy here?"

She said there was no one present by that name and closed the door. But she says Pagano was able to enter through another door and was walking up the stairs while she called 911.

"I was very afraid for my safety and told the operator that the intruder was inside the house and I was going to leave the house," Wakeland stated.

She says police arrived and took Pagano into custody.

Pagano returned to the family's home Jan. 20 and said he wanted to apologize to her and to her husband. She said he claimed that he had been drugged by someone named Robert. He came back a third time Feb. 11 and again entered the home, saying, "I'm here for the DirecTV meeting with Eric Garcetti," according to Wakeland.

Wakeland said she called the police, who took a trespass report.

Wakeland says she is afraid for her safety because "Mr. Pagano appears to be an unstable individual who may be a substance abuser."

A hearing on whether to extend the order is scheduled for March 8.

 (©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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